Chapter on Divorce According to the Sunnah
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 3|Book 4|Chapter 2
وَ رَوَى عَلِيُّ بْنُ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنِ اَلْعِلَّةِ اَلَّتِي مِنْ أَجْلِهَا لاَ تَحِلُّ اَلْمُطَلَّقَةُ لِلْعِدَّةِ لِزَوْجِهَا "حَتّٰى تَنْكِحَ زَوْجاً غَيْرَهُ" فَقَالَ "إِنَّ اَللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِنَّمَا أَذِنَ فِي اَلطَّلاَقِ مَرَّتَيْنِ فَقَالَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ اَلطَّلاٰقُ مَرَّتٰانِ فَإِمْسٰاكٌ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ تَسْرِيحٌ بِإِحْسٰانٍ يَعْنِي فِي اَلتَّطْلِيقَةِ اَلثَّالِثَةِ فَلِدُخُولِهِ فِيمَا كَرِهَ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ مِنَ اَلطَّلاَقِ اَلثَّالِثِ حَرَّمَهَا عَلَيْهِ فَلاَ تَحِلُّ لَهُ "حَتّٰى تَنْكِحَ زَوْجاً غَيْرَهُ" لِئَلاَّ يُوقِعَ اَلنَّاسُ اَلاِسْتِخْفَافَ بِالطَّلاَقِ وَ لاَ يُضَارُّوا اَلنِّسَاءَ".
Ali ibn al-Ḥasan ibn Ali ibn Faḍḍal narrated from his father that he asked Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام about the reason why a woman divorced for the third time (ṭalaq al-ʿidda) does not become lawful again for her husband "until she marries another husband". Imam عليه السلام replied: "Indeed, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted and Glorious, has only permitted divorce twice, as He سبحانه وتعالى said: 'Divorce is twice. Then, either keep [her] in an acceptable manner or release [her] with good treatment' (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:229). This applies to the third divorce. Due to the man's persistence in engaging in what Allah سبحانه وتعالى dislikes - namely, pronouncing a third divorce, Allah سبحانه وتعالى made her unlawful for him, and she does not become lawful for him 'until she marries another husband'. This is to prevent people from taking divorce lightly and to stop them from harming women."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh